My 10 Favorite Life Hacks

Hello friends! I've rounded up all of my favorite life hacks to share with you, because who doesn't want to make life easier? Here are my favorites:

1. Mitten clips for wearing boots - All you do is take some kids' mitten clips and attach them to the legs of your pants (under your heel) to keep your pants inside low-cut booties. Simple as that!

2. Panty liners to prevent sweat spots - I'm always super paranoid about sweat stains showing through my shirts, so I take the ultra-thin panty liners and stick them to the inside of my shirt under the arms. Works like a charm.

3. Flat ironing wrinkles - I hate ironing, specifically because it takes longer to drag out the ironing board and heat up the iron than it does to iron the clothes. I use quite a few ironing hacks (throwing clothes in the dryer with a damp washcloth, hanging the clothes in the bathroom to steam while I shower, having a mini steamer on hand), but my favorite is using my flat iron. I just plug it in when I'm getting ready and iron out any wrinkles. Easy peasy.

4. Dry shampoo at night - I always use dry shampoo at night before I throw my hair in a braid for bed. It gives the powder ample time to soak up oils as they're produced, so your hair is nice and fresh in the morning. And as an added bonus, the braid minimizes tangles and gives some texture for the next 'do.

5. Conditioner as shaving cream - Pretty self-explanatory, but using conditioner as shaving cream makes your skin super soft. It's also one less product to buy on your Target run.

6. Preset everything before bed - I always set out my outfit and whatever I need to get ready in the morning before bed. It's a no-brainer, but awesome when you're half-asleep in the morning. No thought required.

7. Coffee creamer in hot chocolate - I'm not a hot coffee drinker, but I love holiday drinks as much as the next girl. I add a splash of flavored creamer to hot chocolate when I make it at home (gingerbread hot chocolate changed my life), and most places are happy to add a pump of flavoring to any drink you order.

8. Jammies in the dryer - Tale as old as time, I love putting my pajamas in the dryer on cold nights. There's nothing better.

9. Breakfast on the go - I can't function without breakfast, but making it every day is a pain. So on Sundays, I'll make a frittata (a giant egg pancake with all your favorites packed inside), and I cut it into circles the size of an English muffin. Come morning, I pop the baby frittata in the microwave, the English muffin in the toaster, and boom. Breakfast sandwich.

10. Emergency purse kit - I'm the mom of my friend group, so I'm required to have any and everything needed for minor emergencies. I always have tissues, ibuprofen, Vaseline (for dry hands and lips, and doubles as temporary Neosporin), tampons, cough drops, etc. for anyone who needs them. I just keep them in a travel makeup bag and pop them in whatever bag I'm taking with me.

I wish you all the best,
Erin

Sweet Spot: Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Hello friends! Today I have another recipe I made for dinner a few weeks back. My family is always going in different directions, so quick and easy dinners are our go-to. The problem is, quick and easy can become kind of monotonous. When I saw this on Pinterest, I thought it would be the perfect addition to our recipe arsenal.

The Lineup:
     2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
     1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
     Garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper (to taste)
     1/4 cup steak sauce
     1 cup beef stock
     2 tbsp. butter
     2 tbsp. flour
     1 cup 2% milk
     1 cup provolone cheese, shredded (I used provolone & mozzarella)
     1 medium yellow onion, chopped
     1 green bell pepper, chopped
     4 buns or rolls, split in half*

The Play-by-Play:
     1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large pan. Add ground beef and cook thoroughly, making sure
         meat is crumbled. Season to taste with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and
         pepper.
     2. Add steak sauce and beef stock to ground beef. Bring to a bubble and cook about 2
         minutes.
     3. In a separate saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook about 1 minute until
         thickened.
     4. Slowly whisk in milk to butter and flour, bringing to a bubble.
     5. Stir in cheese, mixing until melted. Remove from heat.
     6. In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil. Add peppers and onions, seasoning with salt and
         pepper to taste, cooking until onions are caramelized.
    *7. To bring sandwiches to the next level, split buns in half, lightly brush with oil, and
         season. Put under oven broiler or grill, watching carefully, until crisp and warm.
     8. Assemble sandwiches. Enjoy!

Quick Play:
The original recipe calls for onions in the ground beef, and has nothing about bell peppers. To keep the sandwiches more like Philly cheesesteaks, I decided to sauté the peppers and onions to top the sandwiches.

*Note: I completely forgot to take pictures of the finished product. The whole process went smoothly until I burnt the buns because they were on the lower rack of my oven (upon which everything burns), and then they spilled into my sink of dirty dishes because my hand was burning through my oven mitt. It was a very eventful 30 seconds, but the sandwiches were still great.

The Playmaker: http://joandsue.blogspot.ca/2012/07/philly-cheesesteak-sloppy-joes.html

I wish you all the best,
Erin